The first film they released under the DisneyNature banner was Oceans, also the weakest film of the bunch so far.  There’s no doubt that film features some breathtakingly photographed underwater footage, but it just lurches from one vignette to the next.  The subsequent nature docs have added a little, old fashioned Disney storytelling to the mix, usually focusing on a central animal and then fashioning a narrative around them.  Their latest feature, Monkey Kingdom, follows that pattern.  It may be the best of these films they’ve yet made.

Narrated by Tina Fey, Money Kingdom focuses on a female Toque Macaques monkey in Sri Lanka that the film names Maya.  Because of the social structure present in the troop, Maya is relegated to being part of the lower end of the caste system.  The alpha of the troop and the females who dote on him are allowed food and privileges Maya isn’t allowed.  Things become more complicated when Maya’s mate Kumar is driven from the troop, leaving her with a baby to raise alone, fending for it at the very bottom of their social status.  Because of the lower position, Maya and others must take greater risks while searching for food to stay alive, risks that expose them to the dangers of carnivorous predators. 

As the film progresses, Kumar returns to the troop as another band of monkeys drives them out of their home.  Left to fend for themselves, Kumar’s position is raised as the troop’s alpha clearly has no idea how to survive outside their safety zone.  This elevates Maya’s social status within the troop, as well. 

Monkey Kingdom is gorgeously photographed and really needs to be seen on a big screen to really get its visual impact. The monkeys live in and around the ruins of the ancient city of Polonnaruwa, with its spires rising up through the tree tops.  Wide shots of the forest are stunningly beautiful and make you wonder why conservation is even needed – how could anybody look at this natural wonder and think cutting down the trees to build a parking lot would be a good idea?

To be honest, I’m not sure how much of any of this actually happened.  The director Mark Linn spent six years filming the monkeys and must have generated miles of footage.  The narrative could be anything they decided to cut together to tell their story.  There’s a really fun sequence where the monkeys, driven from their home, come across a house with a child’s birthday party and raid it when nobody’s there.  I can’t imagine that part isn’t staged somehow.  I can’t imagine a scenario in which the filmmakers would film a troop of monkey trashing somebody’s home without alerting the owners.  It’s fun, but I can’t help but doubt its veracity.

Ultimately, I don’t think any of that matters as the science of social order in primate tribes appears to be well researched.  Press materials for the film included lesson plans for teachers who may take classes to see Monkey Kingdom and, ultimately, that’s the best takeaway.  This is a beautifully made film that gives kids seeing it with their classmates or families a valuable lesson in conservation.  I also appreciate how the film also shows Maya’s plight as a someone born into a lower status as a chance to talk about social justice issues in the world, as well.  Last week, I had the chance to see Disney’s stage version of Newsies at the Pantages Theater here in Los Angeles, and that show makes a strong case for collective bargaining rights and a strong case against for-profit prisons.  The Mouse has been hitting me in my political sweet spot lately.

Disney is a massive corporation that will have a license to print money once the Avengers return in a couple of weeks.  Kudos for them for continuing this series of finely tuned nature films.